Novel resilient heel construction



June 6, 1944. M. MARGOLIN I NOVEL RESILIENT HEEL CONSTRUCTION Filed March 29, 1941 ATTORNEYS Patented June 6, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NOVEL RESILIENT HEEL CONSTRUCTION Meyer Margolin, Elgin, Ill.

Application March 29, 1941, Serial No. 385,823

1 Claim.

Myinvention relates to a novel resilient heel and more particularlyv my invention relates to the combination of a heel, a leather lift and an interposed resilient layer of rubber-like material which is adapted to resiliently space the lift from the heel and which rubber-like layer extends down through the leather lift into contact wit the walking surface.

In the heel of a shoe, two primary problems are presented. First, there is very rapid wear of the lift, which is the external layer of leather attached to the heel, and which must be quite frequently replaced because of uneven wear thereon. The second problem is that of comfort and because of the continuity of rigid structure between the walking surface and the heel, there is considerable jarring and resultant discomfort to the body.

It is the object of my invention to overcome these difficulties by a novel heel construction.

It is a further object of my invention to pro- Vide a novel heel having the desirable appearance properties of all leather heels, but with the wearing and comfort properties of a rubber heel. il' It is a further object of my invention to provide a heel which has the appearance of a leather heel but in which a resilient layer is interposed completely between the relatively rigid leather portion of the heel and in which the rubber extends into ordinary invisible contact with the walking surface.

These objects are accomplished by thev provision of an interposed layer of rubber between the heel base proper and the heel lift.

In order to provide for direct resilient contact with the walking surface, the middle portion of the interposed rubber layer extends down through a corresponding opening in the central portion of the heel lift so that the rubber extends into contact with the walking surface when pressure is brought to bear down thereon. This downwardly extending projection of the interposed rubber layer also is important in that it acts to position and retain the heel lift in engagement with the interposed rubber layer.

I further obtain the desired resilience of the heel construction by the provision of certain openings or air cells within the rub-ber layer itself.

These and further objects of my invention will be apparent from a consideration of the drawing and the specific description of the figures which here follows:

Figure 1 is a cross-section of the heel of my invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-section of a modied form of my invention in which the resilient interstructure extendsup into the heel portion of the interior of the shoe. v

Figure 3 is a cross-section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-section of a modified form of my invention.

Figure 5 is a cross-section showing a still further modified form of my invention.

Figure 6 is a cross-section showing a modified form of my invention in which the resilient heel structure is in co-action with the resilient heel pad.

Figure '7 is a cross-section taken along the line 1 1 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the heel pad of Figures 6 and 7.

Figure 1 is a cross-section of the heel of my invention, in which the heel base 10 is shaped with a concave recess H which arcs sharply in A resilient rubber layer 'M is interposed between this heel base 10 and a'leather lift 15, the heel lift, rubber layer and h eel base being secured together by suitable nails 1B and 1l. From the resilient layer 14, there extends through a suitable opening 'I9 in the heel lift 'I5 an integral resilient projection 80. The upper inside edge 32 of the heel lift 'l5 is beveled so that the rubber layer slopes into the projection 80. To provide increased resilience cavities 84 and 85 are located in the under-surface of the resilient layer. These cavities enhance the natural resilience of the rubber layer and accordingly increase the resilience of the combination of the heel lift, rubber layer and heel base.

The concave shaping of the under side of the heel base 'l0 into which the resilient layer fits, not only serves to retain the resilient layer in place, but also acts to enable the rubber of the resilient layer to be pressed down through the lift upon wearing away.

In Figure 2 I show a form of my invention in which a heel base is provided with a central opening 9| extending through the extent of the heel base 90 and in this opening 9| is positioned a rubber core 92 which terminates in a resilient interlayer 93 which resilient interlayer terminates in a downwardly extending resilient projection 94 which resilient projection extends through a suitable opening in the heel lift 95.

'I'he heel lift 95 is secured through the resilient layer 93 to the heel base 90 by suitable nails 91.

The resilient core 92 terminates at its upper extremity in a lap 98 which sidewardly extends to a feather edge thinness as at 99. The lap 98 extends over insole of the shoe. The construction here illustrated provides a desirable resilience in that because of the fact that shocks imparted to the heel lift 95 are transmitted to the rubber core 93 and absorbed in the long central core 92. Furtherr there is a complete resilience between the heel of the wearer which rests on the lap 98 so that the heel is actually in direct resilient contact with the walking surface with the core 92 and the resilient projection 94.

In Figure 4 I show a heel base I I0 with a central core opening III in which is positioned a resilient core I|2 which extends from just below the insole I|4 down into a resilient interlayer ||5 and thence progresses into a downwardly extending projection I I6 in contact with the Walking surface through the heel lift II1. By means of the sloping shoulders |I8 and ||9 of the heel lift III, the shock imparted to the resilient projection IIS is spread through the resilient inter.- layer ||5.

Further, upon wearing away of the extreme end of the projection IIB, the rubber interlayer `I I5 tends to move down under the compression thereof by the lower concave surface of the heel.,

base ||0 and this movement is facilitated by the sloped shoulders of the heel lift II1. Because the insole |I4 lies in resilient contact with the core I |2, there is a resilient connection directly between the insole II4 on which the foot rests and the heel extremity.

In Figure 5 I show a heel base |22 which carries a partial resilient inner core |23. This resilient inner core |23 is integral with a resilient interlayer |24 which extends in the form of ai downwardly extending projection |25 into contact with the walking surface through the opening |26 in the heel lift |21. 'I'his internal core |23 has the function of absorbing a good deal of shock imparted to the rubber interlayer |24 both through the downward projection |25 and through the heel lift |21. The heel lift |21 in this instance has, as in the examples shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, a resilient connection only with the heel base through the rubber interlayer.

In Figure 6 I show another form of my invention in which a heel base |30 is provided with a central opening I3I in which is positioned a 'rubber core |32 which is integral and part of a 'rubber interlayer |33 which, as above, extends down in the form of a projection |34 into contact with the walking surface through a heel lift |35. In this instance a heel pad |31, which is provided with suitable perforations |38 and grooves |39, has an integral downwardly extending lug |40, which extends into the opening I3I and meets the resilient core |32 and is positioned in resilient contact therewith.

The lug |40 not only serves to correspondingly position theheel pad I3I in place in the shoe but also affords a direction resilient connection between the heel pad and the walking surface through the resilient core |32 and the projection |34 so as to enhance the entire resilience of the construction. This resilient lug |40 which is integral with the heel pad also tends to absorb the shock of the pressure of the wearers foot upon the heel pad |31 and this shock is transmitted through the central resilient core.

By providing two separate resilient sections, namely the heel pad and the resilient core and interlayer which are in pressure contact with one another, I provide a facility of assembly and at the same time obtain the new and unexpected lresults set out hereinabove.

heel lift.

Although I have given a number of specific examples of the application of my invention, it is to be understood that various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and I, therefore, intend to be limited not by the specic examples here given, but only by the claim hereto appended.

Iclaim:

In combination a heel base, a heel lift and a rubber-like layer positioned between said heel base and said heel lift; an opening extending through the length of said heel base; a rubberlike core extending through said opening; and a resilient rubber member adapted to contact a vwearers heel, said resilient member having perforations extending therethrough and grooves located on the under side thereof to circulate air in that area; and means for contacting said re- MEYER MARGOLIN. 

